Five tips for saving winter fuel costs

Winter is an expensive time for every household. Since Black Friday took hold of the nation at the end of last month, everyone is reaching for their credit cards as the Christmas shopping season enters full swing. The car needs to be serviced and checked, to make sure it is ready for the frosty mornings to come, which invariably means more expense. And then, there are your domestic heating costs.

Most of us switch on the central heating in mid-October, so by now, the chances are, you are already feeling the pinch, whether your system works on gas, electricity or oil. If you are one of those people who is walking a constant tightrope to keep heating costs under control while making sure the house is still warm and comfortable for you and your family, the following tips are just for you.

Conservatory insulation

If you are spending good money warming your house, it makes sense to keep that warm air indoors for as long as possible. Everyone knows the importance of insulating the loft, but did you realise that you can also save a fortune on your heating bill with conservatory insulation?

Some people are reluctant to even set foot in their conservatory during the winter months, thinking it will be cold and unpleasant. This is an immense waste of a useful room, and with professionally installed insulation, it can be as warm, cosy and energy efficient as any other room in the house.

Switch off

The worst mistake you can make is to think something doesn’t use much power, so it doesn’t matter. Multiply "not much" by 10 or 50 or 100, and suddenly it becomes "quite a lot." For example, lighting alone accounts for almost 20 percent of the average home’s electricity costs. At this time of year, it is common to switch on all the lights around the house first thing in the morning and not switch them off until bedtime. Get in the habit of switching lights off when you leave a room, and certainly if you pop out of the house for a while.

Additionally, why not transform your cosy, well-insulated conservatory into the main living-room and relaxation space, and save turning on lights or appliances around the house? Snuggle up on these cold and dark nights in your very own wintry grotto.

Time for a new boiler?

A new boiler might sound like a serious investment when you are looking to save money, but here’s the thing. Scrapping an old, creaking boiler and replacing it with a new one is likely to cost on average £1800, and will save £240 per year. That sounds like a seven or eight-year payback, but there is more to it than that. You are also spared the hassle, cost and worry of it breaking down right on Christmas day, or the even bigger concern of potentially lethal fumes.

Embrace technology

There are plenty of technological gizmos on the market today that can really help you keep the costs down. These include modern conservatory solutions that go one step better than blinds to help trap the warmth for longer. These include thermostats that you can control remotely from your smartphone and smart meters that keep you constantly updated on how much energy you are using. They can really make a big difference for a small financial outlay.

Investigate your options

Today, we have more choice than ever before. Look before you leap and check out all the energy saving options available and consider, for example, the installation of conservatory blinds or other simple coverings won’t help you to economise. Whereas conservatory roof insulation will make a very big difference.